The new regulations will include restrictions on vape flavors, plain packaging requirements and changes to how vapes or e-cigarettes are displayed to make them less appealing to children.
“In addition to our commitment to stop tobacco sales to 15-year-olds this year, these changes will go a long way towards protecting the long-term health of our children,” Mr Sunak said in a statement.
A man smokes a disposable vape in Britain, September 14, 2023. Photo: REUTERS
The UK government says smoking is the biggest preventable killer in the country, causing one in four cancer-related deaths, or around 80,000 a year.
The UK government says that while vapes are seen as key to helping people quit smoking, there are concerns that they could fuel nicotine addiction in young people, with 9% of 11 to 15-year-olds currently using them.
The World Health Organization (WHO) said in December that all vape flavours should be banned. Mr Sunak said: “I have a duty to do what I think is the right thing for our country in the long term. That is why I am taking bold action to ban single-use vapes.”
The UK government says that as well as the health benefits, a ban on single-use vapes would help the environment, with 5 million being thrown away every week.
Mai Anh (according to Reuters)
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